May 5, 1996

NYNEX CONTACT: Media Relations, (212) 395-0500

SUNY CONTACT: State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse, NY, (315) 464-4836

Forensic Team From O.J. Simpson Trial To Keynote During Telemedicine Conference

SYRACUSE, NY -- Today, the forensic science team from the O.J. Simpson trial and key investigators on the mass graves in Bosnia- - Henry C. Lee, Ph.D., Michael M. Baden, M.D., and Barbara C. Wolf, M.D. - - visited Syracuse to discuss the new developments in forensic science using telemedicine, during the opening program of the conference, "Telemedicine Reality and Virtual Reality II." The Conference will be held through Tuesday, May 7 at the Onondaga County Convention Center (OnCenter). It is sponsored by the SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse in cooperation with NYNEX. NYNEX's Mary Alice Williams will serve as emcee for the Conference's opening evening program.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

A highlight of the three-day conference is the East Coast's first unveiling of the "Bridge," an innovative communication system connecting doctors, nurses, and other health care providers through the latest in telecommunication tools, including Internet applications, Web-based teleconferencing equipment, still-image transmitters, and data base links.

"Conference participants are being availed to a series of lectures describing innovative projects in telemedicine. These lectures are being supplemented by several demonstrations. A commercial exhibit area, featuring many of the products being discussed, serves as another information source for participants," said conference presenter Dr. Robert J. Corona, Jr., DO, FCAP. Dr. Corona is the physician director of Medical Informatics and Telemedicine (known as the CareNet program) and director of Laboratory Informatics, and neuropathologist at the Health Science Center.

According to Dr. Corona, at the conclusion of the program participants will be familiar with the basic concepts and technologies as related to health care informatics systems, develop an understanding of how to improve or start a medical informatics and telemedicine program, and develop an understanding of how emerging technologies can be applied in health care services to improve access and quality of care to a larger patient population.

THE "BRIDGE"

One of these emerging technologies is the "Bridge." During the Conference, Dr. Corona, along with "Bridge" creators Dave Warner, M.D., and David Balch, M.A., will offer a demonstration of this newest initiative in medical informatics. Balch is director of the telemedicine Program at East Carolina University. Dr. Warner is neuorscientist for the Institute for Interventional Informatics, Loma Linda, CA, Nason Fellow at NPAC/Syracuse University, and adjunct clinical assistant professor of pathology at the Health Science Center at Syracuse. Both Warner and Balch have appeared on the ABC news program, "American Agenda with Peter Jennings." In addition, Dr. Warner has appeared on CNN regarding his work with reality in medicine.

The Bridge is an intelligent communication site linking the points of need (Care Portals) to the points of expert services (DOCking Stations). The Bridge is the new triage application involving middle level providers and smart computer systems. By using the Bridge, for example, the physician treating a patient with an unusual problem will be able quickly to retrieve the latest published information from a medical database, access a list of medical experts in the field, and connect to the appropriate expert. The Bridge can be used in a variety of settings, including nurses offices in primary and secondary schools, or as an educational tool for students studying medicine, nursing or health related professions.

Other Telemedicine demonstrations presented at the Conference include Health Science Center at Syracuse programs covering telepathology, tele-neuro-triage, telecardiology, pediatric cardiology, and general medicine.

Other conference presenters include: Geoffrey C. Fox, Ph.D., director of NPAC (Northeast Parallel Architecture Center) at Syracuse University; L.Y. Korman, M.D., associate professor of Medicine, George Washington University; Jay H. Sanders, M.D., F.A.C.P., president of the American Telemedicine Association; Roger Stronell, MD, president and CEO, RTI (Radiology Telenetwork International), Toronto Canada; and Robert J. Waters, Attorney at law, partner with Arent, Fox, Kintner, Plotkin & Kahn in Washington.

NYNEX is a global communications and media company that provides a full range of services in the northeastern United States and high-growth markets around the world, including the United Kingdom, Thailand, Gibraltar, Greece, Indonesia, the Philippines, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

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